ABC's of the Numb3rs Boys
by morningdawn202
Summary: Visit short windows into the Epps boy's lives from childhood to adulthood as their relationship both grows and suffers though many trials and joys.
1. Chapter 1

**A is for Apples**

It was sort of ironic that it all started with apples. For hundreds of years parents and teachers have been using apples as examples for simple counting. If Joe had five apples and he gives two apples away how many apples does he have left?

Kids have been counting apples for as long as anyone can remember but who would have thought that the great Charles Epps would have been discovered through this simple little problem.

It happened during Charlie's first week of kindergarten when he was only five years old. His teacher, the young and new Ms. Farren, was kneeling by the boy next to Charlie's desk, Bobby, talking to him about, what else an apple problem.

"Ok, Bobby," said Ms. Farren cheerfully, "If you have five apples and I take one of them away, how many do you have left?"

Bobby scrunched up his nose and asked, "Why did you take one of my apples?"

Ms. Farren let out a little laugh and replied, "No, Bobby, I'm not actually going to take your apple, it is just math. Do you know how to count to five?"

"Of course I do!" exclaimed Bobby loudly. He didn't want anyone to think he didn't know how to count.

"Great!" said Ms. Farren cheerfully, "So if you have five and I take away one how many do you have left?"

"Seven?" asked Bobby hopefully.

Charlie, who had been listening to the entire exchange turned slightly to face them and said quietly, "Four".

Ms. Farren and Bobby turned to Charlie and the teacher asked, "What was that Charlie?"

"The answer," the terribly young brown haired boy said again, "is four. If I have five apples and you take one away that leaves four left over."

"Very good Charlie!" exclaimed Ms. Farren just as Bobby turned to her and announced, "I knew that!"

"I know you did, Bobby," she said soothingly but Ms. Farren's attention was already on the strangely intelligence Charlie Epps. She had noticed him before because he always seemed much more alert than all the over children. He would sit completely still for minutes on end seemingly taking every tiny detail in.

"Ok, Charlie," Ms. Farren said, kneeling down by his desk, "If you have four apples and I give you two more, how many do you have?"

"Six," said Charlie promptly.

"Correct!" exclaimed Ms. Farren, totally delighted to have a child in her class that had obviously been taught some things at home to be able to give such quick answers.

"What about if I have eight apples and you give me eight more?" she asked.

"Sixteen," Charlie answered, looking slightly bored.

Ms. Farren raised an eyebrow and exclaimed, "Correct again!" Then noticing that her other students were beginning to lose interest and fidget she quickly added, "Charlie would you mind staying after class for just a few minuetes?"

"Of course, Ms. Farren," Charlie answered, looking up at her. Ms. Farren was once again taken aback by with alertness and understanding. He certainly didn't seem like a normal four year old.

The rest of the class pasted without much incident and at the end of the day, Charlie stayed at his desk as all the other children got up to leave.

Ms. Farren got up and sat down in the desk next to Charlie. "Well, Charlie I was very impressed with you today," she said carefully, "you certainly know your math."

Charlie rewarded her with a bright smile and said, "Thanks! I bet I'm even better than my big brother, Don!"

Ms. Farren laughed and then said more seriously "Charlie do you know just how high you can count?"

Charlie scrunched up his face in concentration and was silent for several long moments before saying, "I don't really know, Ms. Farren, but I think pretty high."

"Do you know multiplication?" asked his teacher, already calling herself immature to even ask.

"You mean like the two, three and four times tables?" asked Charlie, looking up at her with wide eyes.

Ms. Farren's eyebrows shot up and she spluttered, "Do you know them?"

"Of course," Charlie replied and then began shooting off numbers, "2,4,6,8,10,12…. 3,6,9,12,15,"

"Wow!" cried Ms. Farren, "you really do know your numbers!"

As Charlie grinned up at her, the teacher was struck with a though. Well, it couldn't hurt to just ask. "Charlie," she began slowly, "do you know what seven times five is?"

"Thirty-five," Charlie answered promptly.

"Eight times nine?" asked Ms. Farren.

"Seventy-two," said Charlie.

The young kindergarten teacher closed her eyes for a minute and took a very deep breath. Then she opened her eyes and asked stiffly, "Charlie, where did you learn to do this advanced math so quickly? Have your parents been working with you?" Not even that could explain this.

Charlie shrugged and shook his head. "Not really," he said, "I just don't find it very hard. I just see the two numbers in my head and times them together. Why? Is that bad?"

"No!" cried Ms. Farren, holding her hands up in the air in front of her as if to ward him off. "Its brilliant!" she continued, "Thanks you Charlie, you have been great today. Why don't you go on home now and I'll see you tomorrow."

Charlie visibly brightened and exclaimed, "Thanks, Ms. Farren! See you tomorrow!" With that, he jumped up and ran out of the room, eager to be home to play with his brother.

Ms. Farren got up to go and sit heavily in her teacher's chair and stared blankly at her full computer. What in the world was happening? There was no way a five year old kindergartener could have answered all those questions. Even a fourth grader would have a little trouble with them. This boy answered them without even really thinking.

After several long minutes of thought Ms. Farren finally came to a decision. Though she couldn't quite put her finger on it, there was something defiantly different about Charlie Epps.

She reached down to her phone and picked up. She hit a number on it that would connect her to the school's principal and waited.

"Yes, Mr. Harmon?" she asked when he picked up, "I was wondering if I could have a few minuetes of your time. There's something I need to discuss with you."

**Like the first chapter? Have suggestions or ideas? REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone just a few quick notes before Chapter 2:**

**Several people have commented on how my story did not line up perfectly with the show. I know this and it is on purpose so I can focus on the characters more. Thanks for watching out**

**Some drabbles will be focused on one or the other brother and some with focus on both so no worries**

**Enjoy the fluffyness! **

**B is for Boys**

Margaret Epps always knew that there was something a little different about her two sons. Oh, they were wonderful of course; she couldn't have asked for any better, but there was no denying that they were unusual.

The prominent of her two sons was of course young Charlie. From a very early age both his parents and teachers had noticed that he had an unusual way with numbers. As soon as they started giving him specialized tests, Margaret and Allen began to realize just how special their quiet son was.

Things had gone quickly from there. Charlie began rapidly advancing in school and his absolute genius had become very apparent. He understood things that his even his parents couldn't even begin to comprehend.

Don, on the other hand, had never showed any extreme strokes of genius but he was certainly above average in just about everything. He was amazing sport player and good in every subject but his worth was far more than that.

From a very young age, Don had showed an incredible sense of honor and justice. He knew what was right and wrong and always tried to do what was right. He also would defend anyone who couldn't defend themselves as if it was his unspoken duty. Never had Margaret seen someone so young be so focused.

Even though Charlie usually gotten all the attention from everyone, Margaret would also tell anyone who would listen that Don would be great too. She would also tell Don this himself whenever he felt overwhelmed by his younger brother's shadow.

Whenever she told Don how special he was the young boy's face would light up and Margaret would feel guilty that Charlie demanded so much of her attention. Don may not have the same needs as his brother but every boy in the world needed his mother's love.

The brothers could not have been more different but they were both special in their mothers eyes and in each others.

Charlie would constantly tootle after Don and try to do all the things he excelled at like baseball without much success. In return, Don always kept one eye on his baby brother without Margaret even having to tell him too.

It was true that as the Epps boys had grown up they had grown apart. Charlie was forced to do a lot of traveling for his learning and every time he came home the distance between the boys seemed to grow.

Margaret would sometimes worry about the space that was developing between her two boys but she knew that it was to be expected.

Don and Charlie were both brilliant but in completely different ways and there just seemed to be very little common ground between them. Then again, they were only boys. They had their whole lives ahead of them.

Maybe when they grew into the strong men she knew they would be they would be able to find something in common. Something that needed both Don's strength and Charlie's numbers.

Margaret Eppes wasn't sure what this thing would be but she had faith that sooner or later they would find it. That, or it would find them.

**Short and Cute. Please R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

C is for Counting

Twelve year old Charlie Eppes sat on the corner of his bed gripping his arms to his chest and trying to stop the flow of tears that were traveling steadily down his cheeks. The young genius didn't have it easy being the youngest kid in high school on a normal day but today had been almost unbearable.

Humiliation and confusion clouded his mind and Charlie did the only thing that ever helped whenever this situation arose, which was alarmingly often. He started to count.

_1,2,3,4,5… _Charlie wasn't sure how long he had been adding but he had made it all the way to 1164 when the front door slammed open and he heard his big brother come loudly in, tossing what sounded like his baseball bag into the hallway.

Charlie took several deep breaths trying to calm himself down. He didn't want to appear so weak to his Don. _1164,1165,1166,1167…_

"Charlie!" Don called into the quiet hall, "Buddy, are you home?"

The younger Eppes brother held his sobs in, praying that Don wouldn't come into his room to investigate. Of course, without even a knock, Don pushed the door open and peered inside.

Charlie closed his eyes. _1168,1169,1170,1171… _

Don took the scene in and crossed quietly over to his baby brother. Don might not be thrilled that his genius brother was in the same grade as him in school but that didn't mean he loved him any less and if anyone bothered him then they had Don to deal with.

"Charlie," Don said gently, kneeling next to the crying boy, "What happened?"

"Oh, the usual," Charlie answered in a choked voice, refusing to look at him.

Don gritted his teeth in anger. The usual. Why did this always have to happen to his little brother? Why did the other kids have to be so cruel?

Don stood up to sit next to Charlie, reaching out to affectionately rub his brother's curly hair. "It's not your fault, you know," he told Charlie, "You can't help who you are".

Another tear squeezed past Charlie's lid. _1172,1173,1174... _

"They don't understand," he cried in frustration, "Nobody understands me and I don't understand them! All I understand is numbers."

Unsure how to answer this because it was completely true, Don stayed silent, simply running his fingers through his brother's thick curls.

What could he really say to that? It was the truth after all. Most of the time not even Don could begin to comprehend his little brother.

The Eppes boys sat in an uneasy silence for several minuetes with only Charlie's soft counting to break the tension.

Finally Charlie said softly, "I meet some people that are like me when I'm away with mom but when I come home I feel alone again. I don't think it's supposed to be like that."

No it wasn't. Don looked down at Charlie and answered, "I don't really know what to say to you buddy. I don't know what to say to make you feel better."

Charlie smiled sadly at that. He knew Don always wanted to help others; especially him and whenever he couldn't it drove him crazy. Come to think of it, Don had always been a really good brother even if he didn't understand.

Maybe Don did resent him a little but that was better than what a lot of people thought about him. _2000,2001,2002,2003…_

Don suddenly stood up with a triumphant grin. "Come on Charlie," he said, reaching down to drag his brother up too, "I know what will make you feel better."

"What?" asked Charlie, sniffling and wiping at his eyes.

"Helping me with my math homework," Don answered casually, "I just can't seem to understand it."

Charlie looked up at his brother in wonder. He knew that if there was one thing that Don hated it was Charlie helping him with math because it always made him feel a bit dumb. "Are you sure?" he asked nervously.

Don flashed him a grin. "Of course!"

Charlie smiled back, his heart lifting. _2023,2024,2025,2026…._

**Ahh drama and brotherly love…Thanks for reading, hope everyone liked it! Please Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**D is for Dying **

Charlie stared down at the grave in silence, rain falling on and around him making the scene all the sadder. The grave was simple and adorned with only a few words in a fancy script that did do the women in the ground any justice at all.

_Margaret Eppes_

_1940-2002_

_Beloved wife and mother_

His beautiful wonderful mother was buried in the stone cold ground with only some red flowers to show what an amazing person she had been.

Slowly, Charlie reached up to touch his cheek and was surprised to find them dry. Five years. It had been five since his mother had died and Charlie still seemed unable to cry on the anniversary of her death.

He didn't know why he couldn't, it didn't make much sense. Charlie had cried like a child on the day of her death and sometimes he had often found tears falling on stormy nights but never on the anniversary. It was if it were forbidden to cry on this day like it would hurt her in some way.

As Charlie stared down at the grave he became aware of someone standing behind him. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"How're you doing buddy?" the voice came softly and Charlie turned his head around to look at his big brother.

Charlie shrugged, momentarily unable to make words for his feelings.

Don stepped up beside his brother and put a hand on his shoulder, looking down at the grave. Margaret Eppes had been an absolutely wonderful wife, mother and women and no matter how much time pasted she would always, always be missed.

"What do you think mom would think of us now?" Charlie asked softly.

Don sucked in breath thinking. "Well after she got over her fury that we both happen to be involved in a very dangerous line of work I would like to think that she is proud of us."

"She was always proud of us," Charlie said quietly, "no matter how much trouble we caused her."

Don shrugged. "She was our mother," he answered, "I think that is kind of part of the job requirements."

A smile crept intrusively onto Charlie's face, the rain still pounding around them. "It couldn't have been very easy," he remarked, "having sons like us. We weren't exactly normal, especially me."

Considering this statement, Don didn't say anything. His little brother was right. Having a genius and wild child as her offspring couldn't have been easy at all. Still…

Don started to walk away saying over his shoulder, "You're probably right but somehow… I don't think she would have had it any other way. Mom was always up for a challenge."

Charlie blinked down at the grave in wonder. He really did have the most wonderful mother in the world. She may be dead and gone but as long as he could imagine her smiling face and soft laugh he felt that Margaret would always be with him.

Professor Charlie Eppes turned away from his mother's grave after his brother. The rain had finally begun to halt and Charlie looked up into the blue sky. Strangely, only now was his face wet.

**Sorry for the late update everyone the next chapter should come quicker. Hope you were touched and enjoyed this chapter. Please review! **


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